The training fields of Crimson Citadel roared with energy, filled with echoes of steel meeting steel and the rush of magical resonance.
Ren had only just finished lacing his boots when Kaela appeared at the doorway, arms crossed and expression unreadable.
"You're late."
"I'm five minutes early."
"You're still late. Let's go."
He jogged after her, still rubbing sleep out of his eyes.
"Where exactly are we going?"
Kaela didn't answer—at least not right away. Her stride was long, impatient. Her tail flicked slightly, betraying agitation. That meant trouble. Or paperwork.
Ren hoped for the latter.
They reached the edge of a hangar bay overlooking a massive drop-off into a desert wasteland far below. Standing there were four other women, each clad in distinct combat gear, their Crimson insignias glowing faintly.
One of them turned, smiling wide.
"Kaela! You brought your boy-toy!"
Ren blinked.
Boy-toy?
Kaela sighed, massaging her temple. "Ren, meet Squad Thorn. They'll be joining us for today's mission."
The tall, smirking woman who spoke earlier sauntered over, silver braid swaying behind her. Her uniform had been modified—shortened jacket, visible cleavage, and thigh-high boots that somehow made Ren forget how to stand properly.
"I'm Captain Lyss Yurei," she said. "And you must be the blade that made Veyla eat dirt."
Ren chuckled. "That'd be me."
She grabbed his chin, tilting it up. "Cute. I can see why Kaela's been hogging you."
Kaela's eye twitched. "We don't have time for your games, Lyss."
"Aww, you're no fun."
Ren tried to process everything, but it got harder when another squad member stepped forward—a dark-skinned woman with short hair and heavy gauntlets crackling with crimson electricity.
"Don't worry, fresh meat," she said. "We'll keep you alive. Just stay out of my blast radius."
"Duly noted…"
Mission Briefing Room
A hologram of the Arid Fracture projected between them—a Vile nest located in an ancient, half-collapsed ruin deep in the Wastes. Reports said a new "spawner" type Vile had taken root—one capable of producing endless smaller Viles unless destroyed at the core.
"Your job," said the briefing officer, "is to locate the spawner and eliminate it. Expect resistance. High-grade Viles confirmed."
Ren raised a hand. "Wait—what's a spawner look like?"
Kaela and Lyss exchanged a look.
"Like a pregnant nightmare," Lyss said. "Covered in mouths. Screams like a toddler getting baptized in acid."
Ren grimaced. "Great. Love that."
Kaela leaned in, whispering near his ear. "Just stay close to me. No heroics."
He smirked. "You mean no more heroics."
"Exactly."
Deployment Zone – Arid Fracture Ruins
Dust storms raged overhead as the squads moved through the shattered husks of old skyscrapers. Vile ichor stained the stone, and the air reeked of rot and ozone.
Kaela led the group, eyes constantly scanning, Ren sheathed on her back in blade form.
Suddenly—
A shriek echoed through the canyon.
Dozens of Crawler Viles burst from the shadows—multi-limbed horrors with scythe-like arms and glowing cores in their throats.
Kaela activated her Crimson Core and swung Ren forward. "Let's dance."
Ren's voice echoed through her mind.
"Time to show off, huh?"
"Don't disappoint me."
She spun and slashed—Ren's form cleaving through two Viles in a single arc. Lyss unleashed a barrage of crimson bolts, while the gauntlet-user—Talla—punched a Vile straight through a stone pillar.
Ren could feel the flow between them all. Each warrior had a rhythm—Kaela's was calculated, refined, but brutal. Lyss fought like a seductress with claws. Talla was pure aggression.
And then—
Something howled deeper in the ruins.
Kaela paused.
"That's it. The spawner's awake."
They followed the sound into a massive underground chamber. Crimson fungus pulsed across the walls like veins.
And in the center…
The Spawner.
A bloated, grotesque entity fused into the rock. Its torso writhed with birthing sacs and tendrils. Crimson light pulsed from its dozens of mouths.
"Kill it before it births more!" Kaela shouted.
The room exploded into chaos.
Kaela leapt into the air, Ren slicing through tentacles mid-flight. Lyss flanked from the left, unleashing a concentrated blast into its throat. Talla tore through minions like a storm.
Ren pushed more energy into Kaela, and she felt it—a surge beyond their previous resonance.
"Ren—what are you doing?!"
"I figured something out. I think… I can amplify your Crimson flow. Just trust me!"
She narrowed her eyes. "Then don't hold back."
The next attack was devastating—Kaela split the spawner's shell open with one strike, exposing its pulsating core.
The Spawner screamed.
But it was too late.
Kaela and Ren's final strike pierced it—crimson energy erupting from the inside out, obliterating the monster in a flash of red light.
Later – Camp Perimeter
The squad regrouped near a makeshift fire, the ruins collapsing behind them.
Ren sat on a crate, shirt half-off, bandaging his own arm. Kaela approached and sat beside him, silently.
"You really went all out," she said.
"I felt like I had to. That thing was hideous."
Kaela looked at him thoughtfully. "Your synchronization… it's evolving."
He shrugged. "Guess I'm just that into you."
She looked away, cheeks flushing just slightly. "Idiot."
From behind them, Lyss called out, "You two gonna make out, or should I join in?"
Kaela picked up a stone and threw it at her without looking.
Ren chuckled.
Kaela stood up, walking past him—but paused at his side.
Without warning, she leaned down and kissed his cheek.
His brain short-circuited.
"That's your reward," she murmured. "For not dying."
And she left him there, grinning like an idiot, again.